To Those Who Minister, This Active Member Needs You Too

Before I could even shut the door, tears were already streaming down my face. So much had happened that day — my daughter had been admitted to the hospital, and both my husband and I had to face her unusual tantrums. “If only someone could visit me and give me a hug,” I thought wishfully. Since I was young, I’d always known the blessings of service and how it can bless the lives of those who are struggling with their faith. I had just never realized that I, an active, involved member of the Church, still needed the blessings of ministering.

As we fulfill the call to minister to others, may we also be sensitive to the needs of those whom we see often at church.

To ministering brothers and sisters, this active member still needs you.

Like you, I always thought that I no longer needed to visit those members who were always there on Sundays, and who were involved in their Church callings and responsibilities. It is safe to say that I often assumed that with their strong testimony of the gospel, they no longer needed what I had to say.

But ministering friends, this active member still needs you.

We all have daily struggles not often seen during Sunday services. It is always refreshing when someone visits to remind us what matters most in life — the gospel. Don’t hesitate to share your testimony, no matter how simple you think it is. It is a blessing when we see your great love and commitment to the Lord. We may not say it, but your example of service and love for the gospel strengthens us too — especially during times of unspoken struggles.

Yes, in times of struggles, this active member still needs you.

Our smiling faces and positive outlook in life may make you skip our names on the list, but please remember that visiting us can be a balm in Gilead. Some of you may be worried that the help you’re offering — financially and spiritually — may not be enough, but please know that even faithful members of the Church can still find comfort in a big tight hug, a simple home-cooked meal, or a sweet, sincere question like “How are you doing?”

Your simple acts of kindness can go a long way. Your efforts to reach out to us help us feel loved and cared for. Sometimes, what a weary soul really needs is just someone who reaches out in love.

This active member looks up to you.

You may think that because some members are so strong in the faith, no simple visit, no ordinary lesson will be enough. But sometimes, more than the lesson, there’s another thing that counts: your effort to serve. As we see you serving with all your might despite financial limitations or physical challenges, you show us Christlike love. When you come to us, even without knowing what we truly, deeply feel, you help us realize the truth that indeed, the Lord sends angels to rally for us when we feel downtrodden.

So to the ministering members, if ever you feel too inadequate to visit an active member of the Church, please be strengthened by this beautiful quote by Sister Virginia Jensen: “[Members] in all life circumstances have opportunities to nurture and build others within their sphere of influence.”

We too need your care, your testimony, and your example. We believe in you. We believe in the blessings that will come as you extend your ministering efforts to us. Come knock on an active member’s door soon.

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However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines. — Jeffrey R. Holland

Sometimes it seems like things couldn’t get worse, or like you can’t go much farther. When those times come, remember Elder Holland’s advice—it’s the same advice he would give his younger self on the side of a long highway when everything seemed hopeless: Don’t quit!

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